Kneeler for a church pew



Feb. 27; 1962 Filed Aug. 17, 1959 F/ G I J. M. HILLIARD KNEELER FOR A CHURCH PEW 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

INVENTOR JAM ES M. HILLIARD- ATTORNEY Feb. 27, 1962 J. M. HILLIARD 3, 3,

KNEELER FOR A CHURCH PEW Filed Aug. 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 6 3 6 Aim m a 3; 3/ 35 FIG. 7 F/ 6 9- M 52 FIG. 10 63/ MW E5?? 68 iiz 5m; INVENTOR 54 "T526 JAMES M. HILLIARD I A k I ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,023,049 KNEELER FOR A CHURCH PEW James M. Hilliard, Waco, Tex., assignor to Cathedral Kneeler Company, Waco, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Aug. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 834,295 2 Claims. (Cl. 297-426) This invention relates to a kneeler particularly adapted for church pews or the like, and has as its primary object the provision of a hinged kneeler which is movable from a full up-position, which provides space for the parishioner to enter and be seated in the pew, to a full downposition, to provide a kneeling rail, characterized by means affording regulable resistance to both upward and downward movement so the kneeler may be raised and lowered quietly, thus eliminating the bumping noise accompanying the actuation of the pivoted kneelers now in general use on church pews.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a kneeler which is adapted to be supported from the vertical supporting members of the pew.

An additional object of the invent-ion is the provision of such a kneeler having pivoted end supports provided with adjustable friction means whereby the upward and downward movement of the kneeler is sufliciently resisted or retarded so as to prevent abrupt impact at either end of its path of travel to preclude the customary bumping noise associated with the unimpeded movement of the conventional kneeler.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a kneeler having its pivoted supporting arms so constructed and arranged that the upward movement of the kneeler may be stopped at a desired intermediate point between full down and full up-position, and retained by the friction means in such an intermediate position. This is particularly desirable on the part of the parishioner when, during the service, it is convenient and comfortable partially to raise the kneeler to provide foot room at the floor level and still provide leg room in the standing position while the kneeler is still in a position readily accessible to the parishioner when it is desired to return the same to full down-position for devotional purposes.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such a pivot arm arrangement for a kneeler characterized by stop means within the pivot structure which coincides substantially with the stoppage in full up or down-position so as to further reduce the resultant impact and consequent noise.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of means for adjusting the friction afforded by the supporting arms in order to maintain the necessary tension to hold the kneeler in adjusted position, while at the same time limiting the force required to move the kneeler so that it may be easily adjusted by a woman or a child.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of a church pew showing a kneeler constructed in accordance with the instant invention attached thereto, the kneeler being shown in full lines in the down position and in dotted lines in the up position.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the kneeler retained in an intermediate position.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the supporting arm assemblies for the kneeler.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a pressure plate comprising a component of the assembly.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the pressure plate of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a friction disc comprising a component of the assembly.

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FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view of an end portion of the pivoted arm comprising a portion of the assembly.

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the construction of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 of FIGURE 3 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 10-10 of FIGURE 3 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows, and

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 1111 of FIGURE 3 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

With continued reference to the drawings, there is generally indicated at 20 a church pew which includes a seat 21, a back rest 22, and end supports 23, having best portions 24, all of conventional design.

The kneeler assembly of the instant invention, gen erally indicated at 25, includes end supporting assemblies 26 which are pivotally mounted on the inner confronting sides of the base portions 24 of the pew vertical supports 23. Extending between the spaced supporting assemblies 26 is a horizontal kneeling rail 27, which is preferably provided with an underlying vertical reinforcing member 28. The rail 27 may or may not be provided with upholstery or cushioning 29, as desired.

Referring now to the supporting assemblies 26 in detail, each comprises an arm 30 of generally triangular configuration which is provided at one end with a U- shaped flange 31, the legs of which carry lateral flanges 32 and the bottom of which is provided with a vertical flange 33, the flanges 32 and 33 being suitably secured, as by "spot welding-34 or the like, to the inner face of the supporting arm 30. The U-shaped flanges 31 form channels for the reception of the vertical reinforcing member 28, which is secured to the rail 27, the ends of the latter being supported on horizontal flanges 35 extending along the top of the arms 30 on opposite sides of the upper extremities of the legs of flange 31. Suitable openings 36 and 37 are provided in the flanges 35 and the flanges 31, respectively, for the reception of screws or the like for securing the associated members 27 and 28 in assembled relation therewith. The lower edge portion of the end of each arm 30 below the flange 31 is provided with a horizontal flange 38 to the underside of which is secured, as by means of rivets 39, a hard rubber bumper 40.

The central portion of the arm 30 may be embossed, as indicated at 41, to increase the strength thereof.

The end of each arm 30 remote from the previously described flanges is generally arcuate in configuration as indicated at 42 and is provided with a central opening 43 and an arcuate slot 44, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 7. The opening 43 is adapted for the reception of a bolt 45 which serves as a pivot for the arm 30. Positioned on each side of the arcuate end 42 of the arm 30 is a friction disc 50. Each of the discs 50 is comprised of a suitable vulcanized lubricated fiber and has a central aperture 51 through which the bolt 45 is adapted to extend. A metal pressure plate 52 is positioned on one side of one of the discs 50 and includes a central opening 53 and an offset elongated pin 54 which is suitably fixed thereon in any desired manner as by peening the head thereof. The pin 54 is adapted to extend through suitably aligned openings 56 in the discs 50 and through the arcuate slot 44 in the end 42 of the arm 30. A channel-shaped mounting bracket 60 includes a central front wall portion61 having a central aperture for the reception of bolt 45 and side wall portions 62 which terminate in apertured otiset lateral flanges 63, through the apertures 64 in which are adapted to be passed suitable screws or bolts for securing the mounting bracket to the inner side of the base portions 24 of the pew vertical supports 23. The front wall 61 is also provided with an opening 65 into which the pin 54 extends. The 'end of pin 54 may, if desired, be suitably fixed in opening 65, as by peening or the like.

A lock washer 66 is disposed between the head 67 of the bolt 45 and the pressure plate 52, and a polygonal nut 68 is threaded on the inner end of the bolt 45 interiorly of the channel-shaped bracket 60. A suitable nut lock is provided and comprises a plate 70 spot welded as at 71 to the inner side of the front wall 61, and includes an offset flange 72 bearing against-one edge surface or flat of the polygonal nut 68-.

In assembling the device, the bolt 45 is tightened to a desired degree clampingly to engage the arcuate end 42 of the arm 30 between the vulcanized lubricated fiber discs 50, which latter are clamped between the front wall 61 of mounting bracket 60 andthe pressure plate 52, to impart suflicient frictional resistance to movement of the arms 30 to prevent noisy impact at either end of the path of travel of the kneeler, and at the same time to afford sufficient resistance to hold the kneeler in any intermediate or partially raised or lowered position. Since the position of the pin 54 is fixed, it cooperates with the ends of the arcuate slot 44 to limit or arrest movement tionally resisting pivotal movement of said supporting arms and said rail in both directions of movement thereof, said means pivotally securing said other end of each of said supporting arms to the complementary pew vertical support comprising a channel-shaped mounting bracket fixedly secured to said pew support, a pivot extending through the other end of said supporting arm and into the channel of said mounting bracket, said frictionally resisting means comprising a friction disc on either side of said other end of said supporting arm, and a pressure plate on the outer side of the disc opposite said mounting bracket, said pivot extending through said disc and said pressure plate, said pivot comprising a bolt having a nut on the inner side of the channel of said mounting bracket whereby pressure one said other end of said supporting arm may be regulated by adjusting said bolt, and a nut lock on the inner side of the channel of said mounting bracket, and means limiting pivotal movement of said supporting arm, said last-mentioned means comprising aligned apertures in said mounting bracket and said friction discs, each supporting arm having an arcuateslot therein, and a pin fixed to said pressure plate extending through said aligned openings and said slot.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the longitudinally extending rail is provided with a perpendicular reinforcing member and said one end of each supporting arm is provided with a supporting flange for said longitudinally extending rail and adepending U-shaped flange for said reinforcing member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 358,702 Shriver et a1. Mar. 1, 1887 1,856,297 St. Marie May 3, 1932 2,350,441 Anderson June 6, 1944 2,622,951 Sautereau t. Dec. 23, 1952 2,682,077 Vikre June 29, 1954 

